Total pages in book: 113
Estimated words: 106541 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 533(@200wpm)___ 426(@250wpm)___ 355(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 106541 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 533(@200wpm)___ 426(@250wpm)___ 355(@300wpm)
“They need to go.” The consequences of my actions catch up to me quickly when he points to my bra and panty outline underneath my almost see-through nightie.
“Ghost said if I walked the halls without panties, he’d kill me.”
Alek’s reply is like a slap to the face. “We’re not on the boat anymore, Kate. Those leniencies don’t apply here.”
Nodding, hopeful it will hide my grimace, I return to the bathroom to remove the cloak of protection I didn’t realize I needed until now.
It is the fight of my life not to let my knees shake when I follow Alek to the dining room. I feel as naked as the day I was born and without an ounce of protection. It is also the first time I’ve felt vulnerable in months.
The dining room is brimming with people. There are as many seated around the table now as there were at my wedding. I spot Ghost before he notices me. He’s seated near the middle of the table. A beautiful redhead is on his lap, her head buried in his neck.
Now I stumble, and every man in the room takes notice—including Ghost. He slants his head to the side before narrowing his eyes down my body, his watch lingering on my budded nipples and the apex of my thighs as well as many of his numerous counterparts. There’s just one difference between their stares. Ghost’s eyes slit when they return to my face. The others gleam with unhidden wants.
“Sit.” This order didn’t come from Ghost. It was from Alek, who plonks me into a seat across from Ghost and his female friend. They seem close, but not even the tablecloth can hide the shaking of her knees. She’s scared.
“Kate?”
I drift my eyes to Alek, the person who spoke my name. “Sorry. What did you say?”
“I asked what you’d like to eat.”
“Um…” The table is brimming with an assortment of food, but I’m not sure my stomach can handle any of it. “I’m not hungry.” My eyes shoot to Ghost when the rumble of his growl reaches my ears. He thinks I’m lying. For once, I’m not. I truly don’t feel like eating. “I think I should go. I-I…” As my eyes pop out of my head, my hand shoots up to my mouth. “I think I’m going to be sick.”
I race out of the dining room as fast as my quivering legs will take me, narrowly missing my husband’s late entrance.
29
GHOST
When Katie crashes into Kirill during her race out of the dining room, I tell the redhead quivering on my lap to return to serving our guests.
“Y-yes, sir,” she whispers, as frightened now as she was when I unexpectedly pulled her to sit on my lap.
I’m surrounded by Kirill’s top men, so the last thing I want is for them to suspect I was hard from watching his wife enter the room in a nightgown that was designed to entice any red-blooded man.
She may as well have entered the room naked, and my cock is in full agreement.
He was standing at attention, something he failed to achieve last night.
Katie played me like a fucking fool, but instead of teaching her a lesson, I added to her beliefs.
It won’t happen again.
I add an extra something to my mug of coffee before slouching low in my chair. Everyone buys my act that I don’t give a fuck about anyone but myself—everyone but Alek.
“Her sheets—”
“I don’t fuckin’ care,” I cut him off, aware of where he is going. The head housekeeper told me this morning that she hasn’t been called to Katie’s room this month to change her sheets.
Alek leans forward to pop his elbows on the table. “What if she’s…” He makes a gesture with his hand that would mean nothing to a man who hadn’t witnessed the artificial insemination of a woman the past three months. “She could be… pregnant,” he whispers his last word.
“Good.” I sniff, hopeful some of the snow I had this morning is still lingering outside my nostrils.
He looks at me like I’m insane. “Good? You think that’s fucking good?” He pffts when I nod. “Then why did that whore enter and exit your room in under ten minutes last night if it weren’t for her?” He nudges his head in the direction Katie just went.
He shakes his head in disgust when I murmur, “It had been a while, so it was a bit quick-winded.”
“Fucking bullshit, Ghost. You haven’t touched a single cunt not associated with Kate since she arrived.”
I act as if he never spoke. “And this is the fucking point, right? That’s why she’s here.” I lock eyes with Kirill across the room. “To have his baby.”
“I don’t know, Ghost, is that the point?” He leans forward again to ensure I can hear him over the ruckus occurring around us. “Because from where I’m standing, this seems a little more about you.” When my brows furrow in confusion, he doubles their stitch. “I was only asked to bring Kate here once you arrived. And they specifically stated she was to be dressed accordingly.”